Austria closes border crossings amid rising FMD virus threats

Since March, there have been multiple instances of foot-and-mouth disease reported in Hungary and Slovakia. Austrian farmers are expressing their concerns regarding the situation and are calling for decisive measures to be taken.

A fresh regulation aimed at curbing foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is set to take effect in Austria this Saturday. The State Police Directorate has announced that a total of 23 border crossings to Hungary and Slovakia will be closed, with all crossings being prohibited.

The measure is anticipated to remain in effect until May 20, as reported by Austrian Broadcasting (ORF).

To date, the border crossings in the districts of Neusiedl am See, Mattersburg, and Oberpullendorf have experienced disruptions. A comprehensive overview can be found on the website of the Austrian Chamber of Agriculture.

The police are keeping a watchful eye on the crossings, adjusting their levels of scrutiny as necessary. No additional information has been disclosed at this time. The principal border crossings, including Nickelsdorf and Kittsee, will continue to operate without interruption.

As of Thursday afternoon, Nikolaus Berlakovich, President of the Austrian Chamber of Agriculture, confirmed that there had not been a positive case of FMD in Austria. Nonetheless, the outbreaks of the disease in Hungary and Slovakia present a significant threat to the livestock farms in Burgenland.

Berlakovich urged the public to “avoid non-essential travel to the affected areas.” They further advised individuals to refrain from entering the stables of others and to avoid feeding livestock any leftover food.

Since mid-March, Hungary and Slovakia have been experiencing a series of foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks along their border with Austria, as noted by the agricultural portal “TopAgrar.” Farmers have consequently urged an immediate cessation of truck transit traffic through Austria from Slovakia and Hungary.

As reported by the Austrian Ministry of Health, EU law, it seems, does not allow for this, as noted by “TopAgrar.” Should an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease transpire in Austria, it is estimated that around 1,338 farms in Burgenland would be impacted.